Redevelopment along 28th Street

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There is a lot of redevelopment going on right now along 28th Street, particularly in the Kentwood area. Among the projects currently underway:

- The former site of Splash Water Park / AJ's Family Water Park (4441 28th St SE) is being redeveloped into a new location for the Menard's store that is currently located in CenterPointe Mall.

- The Best Western Midway hotel (4101 28th St SE) was demolished in late 2006 / early 2007 to make way for a new Fox Motors location, which is currently under construction.

- The former location of CompUSA (3940 28th St SE) is being remodeled into a Michaels store.

- Construction is underway on the site of the former Mountain Jack's Steakhouse (3600 28th St SE) to build a new commercial building which will include the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in the Grand Rapids area.

- Demolition started within the past week on the recently closed Don Pablo's restaurant (3570 28th St SE), as well as the former locations of Grand Rapids Lighting Center (3460 28th St SE) and DeKorne/Ethan Allen (3450 28th St SE).

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Also, there was a restaurant called Greek Islands, or something similar, across from the movie theaters at Woodland that looked like it was about to be torn down last time I was there. The building had been gutted and there was some heavy machinery nearby. Good thing, because it was UGGGGGLY! I don't know what, if anything, is going there.

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The stretch of 28th that probably needs the most work is between Clyde Park and Breton. There are parts west of Clyde Park that aren't exactly pretty but that area around 131 and Division definitely is in the worst shape.

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Also, what ever happened to the plans to replace the Knight's Inn near I-96/28th? That place is bombed out, trashed out, windows broken, UGLY.

It's more than ugly, it's DANGEROUS. That complex definitely needs to be torn down, more so than any of the other buildings mentioned. I attempted to drive back there about a year ago but turned around, afraid that I would drive over something and put a hole in a tire, and/or that someone would emerge from one of the buildings and start shooting. If it was more visible from the road I'm sure it would be gone by now.

I miss Splash

Me too, even though I was only able to go a couple of times. It's probably quite difficult to turn a profit on an outdoor water park in Michigan.

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I vaguely remember staying at that Knights Inn years ago, probably as a teenager. I guess the place has really gone downhill.

Well, it closed a few years ago and has been going downhill ever since. There has been at least one fire in the area near the office since it closed, as can be seen from the aerial photos. I'm quite surprised that Cascade Township hasn't forced any demolition at this site.

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Well, it closed a few years ago and has been going downhill ever since. There has been at least one fire in the area near the office since it closed, as can be seen from the aerial photos. I'm quite surprised that Cascade Township hasn't forced any demolition at this site.

Yeah, you can't see it from 28th St. But when I was getting off at the 28th St exit a few weeks ago, I looked over and you can clearly see the hotel. Almost all the windows have been smashed out, and it looks like looters have started ripping out a lot of the interiors too. There are a lot of scrap material looters around these days due to skyrocketing construction material costs. I agree that I can't believe Cascade Twp hasn't done anything about it.

Veloise is in that area, maybe she can get some pics.

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Yeah, you can't see it from 28th St. But when I was getting off at the 28th St exit a few weeks ago, I looked over and you can clearly see the hotel. Almost all the windows have been smashed out, and it looks like looters have started ripping out a lot of the interiors too. There are a lot of scrap material looters around these days due to skyrocketing construction material costs. I agree that I can't believe Cascade Twp hasn't done anything about it.

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What ever happned to the Cheddar's building? Is it still there or torn down?

Nothing in the vicinity is labeled Cheddar's, and that's been the case for the almost three years (2 years, 8 months) that I've worked here in this friendless god-foresaken sidewalk-free...oh, you know the rest.

Land uses besides the abandoned motel (headed east from the freeway exit):

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Nothing in the vicinity is labeled Cheddar's, and that's been the case for the almost three years (2 years, 8 months) that I've worked here in this friendless god-foresaken sidewalk-free...oh, you know the rest.

Land uses besides the abandoned motel (headed east from the freeway exit):

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Drury Inn purchased the Knight's Inn land earlier this year, the Carlos O'Kellys real estate is for sale, and as for Smokey Bones, let's just say I'd rather they go the way of the Dodo than Carlos. Yeck.

I agree, it's only getting worse. If someone else has purchased it, hopefully they will tear it down soon.

Since when is Bed Bath and Beyond closing? Are you sure you aren't thinking of Linens-n-Things in Centerpointe? I know that they are going out of business.

I see Linens-N-Things now has everything 30%-50% off. I wonder how much those people who stand on the street corner holding a "Going Out Of Business" sign get paid? (And where they find the people to do it?)

pretty sure it was torn down for what's now the gas station at Sam's Club

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I had to be in Cascade today, and noticed that the old laser-tag roller rink place near 28th and Thornhills has been replaced by a big retail plaza. It's interesting that it sits behind those older buildings out on 28th St yet faces the backs of those buildings, as though it's just waiting for the old ones to be torn down and have 28th frontage. I didn't notice any tenants in it.

And again driving on the old 28th St, it's amazing that someone hasn't turned that area into something more "walkable", like a mini-downtown.

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Drury Inn purchased the Knight's Inn land earlier this year, the Carlos O'Kellys real estate is for sale, and as for Smokey Bones, let's just say I'd rather they go the way of the Dodo than Carlos. Yeck.

Last I heard, Drury wanted to put up a hotel that exceeded Cascade's height limitations and Cascade denied the variance request. Drury was going back to their drawing board to see what they could do to work within their own standards and Cascade's. Cascade apparently prefers to lay out the welcome mat to the criminal element to come in a loot a bombed out, weed strewn property than to have a national hotel chain come in and redevelop that spot. I'm sure if Drury had proposed a sea of asphalt with confusing left and right turn lanes and no sidewalks, Cascade would have approved it right away. That little corner there with the Knights Inn, Red Roof, Mobil station, Perkins and Citgo is one ugly chunk of property.

I miss the put put golf course that used to be next to McDonalds with the giant fiberglass zoo animals.

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Also, there was a restaurant called Greek Islands, or something similar, across from the movie theaters at Woodland that looked like it was about to be torn down last time I was there. The building had been gutted and there was some heavy machinery nearby. Good thing, because it was UGGGGGLY! I don't know what, if anything, is going there.

I thought there was a thread on here a while back about this. It's going to be a mini-strip mall IIRC. I can't find the thread here or on Google but it used to be a Schlotzsky's and then turned into this Greek place and now they're adding on to it and I think it was going to be a small restaurant plus 2-3 small other businesses. ?

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I just watched the documentary "Life after People" by the History Channel and I have to admitt, it's amazing how fast nature starts to take over abandoned spaces. Now I don't know how long this Knights Inn has been vacated (I'm assuming a few years), but look at how the weeds have sprouted up from the cracks in the pavement. The documentary was amazing in showing how the world would move on without us. It also gave me some hope in knowing that the environment would, most likely, rebound sucessfully.